Who Will Cry for Zuko
by ACEo'SPADES
Summary: Who will cry for the little boy? Lost and all alone...Oneshot poem-fic dedicated purely to Zuko. Takes place around The Headband.


Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Antwone Fischer's poem. Merely the idea of putting two and two together...  
---

Zuko tossed and turned in his Fire Nation bed. This was home, right? He should be happy; he should be proud of what he had done; he should be able to fall _asleep_ already! Never mind how many years it had been since he last slept in it! Yet somehow, sleep evaded him still.

_Who will cry for the little boy?  
Lost and all alone...  
_  
"This is useless..." was the first real thought that entered his mind, after trying to clear it to fall asleep. Getting up, he put on a robe to protect his body heat, and wandered aimlessly through his room.

_Who will cry for the little boy?  
Abandoned without his own?  
_  
Zuko came to his wall, where portraits of the family still lingered. He tried to ignore the fact that all of his portraits, excepting those of the entire Royal Family, were missing. Nothing; nought but a slightly visible burning mark, where his image had once been. He pulled himself away, turning instead outside.

_Who will cry for the little boy?_

_He cried himself to sleep…  
_

It was really a beautiful night; one that couples could only dream about. It was wasted on him though, as he didn't much care for that sort of thing. Anger was near seething inside him, but he had no idea what to _do_ with it! Zuko stared out into the stars, hoping that some sort of divine revelation would come to him.

_Who will cry for the little boy?_

_He never had for keeps..._

"Why do I feel this way?" he hissed at them. Naturally, they didn't answer.

Turning around in misery, he glared around at his room.

_Who will cry for the little boy?_

_He walked the burning sand..._

The desk popped out at him, and he lightly stepped towards it. Grabbing a piece of parchment, he straightened it out neatly and dipped his brush in the inkwell. All in vain. Never in his _life_ had he felt it so hard to express something. He sat there, but a blank mind with meaningless thoughts was all that drifted through his brain.

He stood up again and traveled back towards the window; searching again for something in the night.

_Who will cry for the little boy?_

_The boy inside the man.  
_

Pleading, he asked them again, "Why won't you answer?" Nothing showed within their bright gaze that they had heard him, ever silent as stars.

_Who will cry for the little boy?_

_Who knows well hurt and pain...  
_

His fists slammed on the window-sill in anger, whispering curses. Everything had gotten so _complicated_; he didn't know what to even think anymore.

His mother's smile appeared in the corner of his eye; wearing a fatigued but warm smile. He so wanted to reach out to her; but she evaded his hand's grasp.

_Who will cry for the little boy?_

He died again and again...

The Royal Fire Lady's image dimmed within the depths of his mind; he drew back to that day over three years ago. A black image strode out; each step he took more prolonged and purposeful than the last. Bitter words echoed through his ears; the left side of his face suddenly raw with intense heat.

_Who will cry for the little boy?_

_A good boy he tried to be..._

His mother's face returned; lingering for only a moment. Then, she was swallowed by darkness.

_Who will cry for the little boy?_

Staring down at his clenched fists; he was filled with an ache that drove right through his heart. A tear, ever-so-gently, slid down his cheek.

_Who cries inside of me?  
_  
---

Didn't want to have an ever-long introduction, I like to cut to the chase. Anyhoo, I've been dying to do this; so ta-dah! 'Tis a poem-fic, I guess... Had this in my head for FOREVER, but I never got 'round to writing it 'til now. I must say; Zuko's character is one I admire most. My favorite person in the show is Toph, but I admire Zuko for his integrity. So when I remembered this poem my friend Jess recited to us a few year's back from the movie Antwone Fisher, it fit too well...

I've already hand-drawn a picture of this. However; I need to color it on Photoshop...that is; if I can figure out how to DO that kinda stuff...hell, I mightn't even HAVE Photoshop...my computer knowledge is limited, can ya tell?

Anyways, please comment!


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